Parliament Pageantry

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II arrives at the Houses of Parliament in a horse-drawn carriage from Buckingham Palace, before delivering her traditional speech for the State Opening of Parliament in London, Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2008.

Credit: AP Photo/Johnny Green/Pool

Yeomen of the Guard line up inside the House of Lords in central London, as part of a ceremonial search ahead of the Queen's speech for the State Opening of Parliament Wednesday Dec. 3, 2008. The Guard, the oldest royal bodyguards, armed with lanterns, search the cellars of the Palace of Westminster, a practice which dates back to the Gunpowder Plot of Nov. 5, 1605. This is followed by a more scientific police search.

Credit: AP Photo/Johnny Green/Pool

Yeomen of the Guard line up inside the House of Lords in central London, as part of a ceremonial search ahead of the Queen's speech for the State Opening of Parliament Wednesday Dec. 3, 2008.

Credit: AP Photo/Johnny Green/Pool

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, left, talks with opposition Conservative Party leader David Cameron, as they walk into the House of Lords during the State Opening of Parliament in London, Wednesday Dec. 3, 2008, where Queen Elizabeth II unveiled the British government's legislative program for the next year.

Credit: AP Photo/Leon Neal

Former European Union Trade Commissioner Peter Mandleson, wearing his ermine robes as Lord Mandleson, arrives at the House of Lords in London, Wednesday Dec. 3, 2008, to listen to Queen Elizabeth II's speech, during the state opening of parliament. Mandleson, now Britain's Business Secretary, is widely reported to have written the Queen's speech, which lays out government plans for the next parliamentary session.

Credit: AP Photo/Arthur Edwards

Speaker of the House of Commons Michael Martin, center, walks in a procession during the State Opening of Parliament in the Member's Lobby of the Palace of Westminster in London, Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2008.

Credit: AP Photo/Matt Dunham

The Imperial State Crown is carried into Parliament, before Britain's Queen Elizabeth II's speech at the State Opening of Parliament in London, Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2008, where the Queen unveiled the British government's legislative program for the next year.

Credit: AP Photo/Shaun Curry

The bodyguard of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, known as Gentlemen at Arms, prepare to proceed into Parliament prior to the queens arrival, during the State Opening of Parliament in London, Wednesday Dec. 3, 2008. The guard was instituted by King Henry VIII in 1509, and now consists of five officers and 27 gentlemen, all of whom, with the exception of the captain, are retired officers of the army or Royal Marines.

Credit: AP Photo/Richard Pohle

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II walks with Prince Philip in the Palace of Westminster, on her way to the House of Lords to make her annual speech, which sets out the government's plans for the next parliamentary session, at the State Opening of Parliament in London, Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2008.

Credit: AP Photo/Alastair Grant

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II walks with Prince Philip in the Palace of Westminster, on her way to the House of Lords to make her annual speech, which sets out the government's plans for the next parliamentary session, at the State Opening of Parliament in London, Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2008.

Credit: AP Photo/Alastair Grant

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II walks with Prince Philip in the Palace of Westminster, on her way to the House of Lords to make her annual speech, which sets out the government's plans for the next parliamentary session, at the State Opening of Parliament in London, Wednesday Dec. 3, 2008.

Credit: AP Photo/Alastair Grant

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II walks through the Royal Gallery in the Palace of Westminster on her way to the House of Lords to make her annual Queen's Speech to Parliament in London, Wednesday Dec. 3, 2008. Britain's lawmakers listen to the Queen outlining Prime Minister Gordon Brown's legislative plans for the coming Parliamentary year.

Credit: AP Photo/Alastair Grant

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip attend the State Opening of Parliament in the House of Lords in London, Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2008.

Credit: AP Photo/Dominic Lipinski

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II speaks from the throne, as Prince Philip listens, in the House of Lords, during the State Opening of Parliament in London, Wednesday Dec. 3, 2008.

Credit: AP Photo/Arthur Edwards

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II speaks from the throne in the House of Lords, during the State Opening of Parliament in London, Wednesday Dec. 3, 2008.

Credit: AP Photo/Arthur Edwards

The Imperial State Crown is carried from Parliament, after Britain's Queen Elizabeth II's speech at the State Opening of Parliament in London, Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2008, where the queen unveiled the British government's legislative program for the next year.

Credit: AP Photo/Toby Melville, Pool

A general view of the ceremonial procession which accompanies Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, as she travels the Mall, from the Houses of Parliament in central London, Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2008, after the State Opening of Parliament. Britain's government laid out a populist - but brief - new legislative agenda on Wednesday, stoking rumors that Prime Minister Gordon Brown will call a national election in the coming year.

Credit: CBS

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, front, and Prince Phillip, back, are seen in a carriage as they travel from the Houses of Parliament in central London, Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2008, after the State Opening of Parliament. The British government will attempt to shield people from the economic slowdown with measures that include the creation of a new state-backed savings account for low-income families.

Credit: AP Photo/Akira Suemori

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II is seen in a carriage as she travels from the Houses of Parliament in central London, Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2008, after the State Opening of Parliament.